What is the difference between "Country Fried Steak" and "Chicken Fried Steak"?

Country fried has that brown gravy like in those delicious looking pictures. Chicken fried has a white milk gravy and should have copious amounts of course or cracked pepper. Well that's the difference's drilled into me from a few diner kitchens. I believe it most likely depends on whose kitchen your in.

What is the difference between "Country Fried Steak" and "Chicken Fried Steak"?

Country fried has that brown gravy like in those delicious looking pictures. Chicken fried has a white milk gravy and should have copious amounts of course or cracked pepper. Well that's the difference's drilled into me from a few diner kitchens. I believe it most likely depends on whose kitchen your in.

What is the difference between "Country Fried Steak" and "Chicken Fried Steak"?

Country fried has that brown gravy like in those delicious looking pictures. Chicken fried has a white milk gravy and should have copious amounts of course or cracked pepper. Well that's the difference's drilled into me from a few diner kitchens. I believe it most likely depends on whose kitchen your in.

Wrong. Totally wrong.

It may be totally wrong but that is the way Mamaw Smith has been making it for my 65 years on this earth. Her country fried steak has always had a brown gravy. I will not get into it on how she prepares it. Her chicken fried steak has a white gravy.

It is one of my favorite Sunday dinners. I love her country fried steak.

What is the difference between "Country Fried Steak" and "Chicken Fried Steak"?

Country fried has that brown gravy like in those delicious looking pictures. Chicken fried has a white milk gravy and should have copious amounts of course or cracked pepper. Well that's the difference's drilled into me from a few diner kitchens. I believe it most likely depends on whose kitchen your in.

Wrong. Totally wrong.

While I have had country fried steak with cream gravy a few times, I've never had chicken fried steak with anything other than cream gravy.

Why, Sundancer, I don't know what you mean. We all have moderators in our lives, whether we want them or not. I, myself, am a moderator on a political forum where I am regularly accused of being both a left-winger and a right-winger by folks commenting on the same message.

Consiering the fact that a filet mignon is virtually without flavor, it is not only a waste of money, it is a waste of time and effort to use it for chicken fried steak.

I would tend to agree with that statement. I just polished off a very nice 2" filet that was wrapped in bacon, grilled, and smoked. Excellent. But a filet has no flavor unless I give it flavor (bacon, grill, smoke, marinate).

I know I'm late to the party, but here's my interpretation of cfs:

1) A country fried steak is flour and spices, fried, and covered with brown gravy to low cook until tender. Almost any type of steak...preferably bone-in...will do. Served with mashed potatoes and any other side you prefer.

2) A chicken fried steak is a hammered/tenderized boneless piece of beef that is breaded and fried. Then, served topped with white gravy, mashed potatoes, and any other side you prefer.

What is the difference between "Country Fried Steak" and "Chicken Fried Steak"?

Country fried has that brown gravy like in those delicious looking pictures. Chicken fried has a white milk gravy and should have copious amounts of course or cracked pepper. Well that's the difference's drilled into me from a few diner kitchens. I believe it most likely depends on whose kitchen your in.

Wrong. Totally wrong.

That's just not possible. Quite a few mean old ladies that knew the business end of an iron skillet told me so" />!

I'm about as southern as a Canadian Mountie, but check out what Miss Paula Dean from the Foodnetwork has to say about this subject :http://www.foodnetworkvideos.com/VideoPortal.html?p=SrnF_9Fxi8sYO0TPBU4jisUDq1gxkwI2&c=yREFo9X7iUt0F6GHUfzKJmGVQcRGUFHq

Looks like her dish, which she calls country fried steak, is basically bathed in a brown gravy. But again, I wouldn't know if this is accurate...I just know I love to watch her on TV!

CFS in Austin, Tx. - Go to Threeadgill's Cafe Used to be a place called Andy's up near Taylor, TX that had a CFS that totally covered the plate. Now I live in FL and they do not know what CFS is, or BBQ either. Bummer .[/8)]

Lived in Houston until two years ago, and once Dirty's closed we never looked for a good CFS place there.

Consiering the fact that a filet mignon is virtually without flavor, it is not only a waste of money, it is a waste of time and effort to use it for chicken fried steak.

I'll have to agree with Mr. Hoffman that chicken-frying a filet mignon is a waste of time, money, and effort. The whole idea of chicken-frying a "steak" is to take an otherwise tough cut of meat and making it yummy.

CFS in Austin, Tx. - Go to Threeadgill's Cafe Used to be a place called Andy's up near Taylor, TX that had a CFS that totally covered the plate. Now I live in FL and they do not know what CFS is, or BBQ either. Bummer .[/8)]

bob, if you can give me any more info about Andy's, I've love to hear it. I can guarantee you it's not around anymore (I live in Round Rock), but I want to know about it if you can tell me more.

I disagree about Threadgill's. Eddie has the most famous place in Austin, but I much prefer Hill's. I finally tried Tony's Southern Comfort a few weeks ago, and the CFS was really good, but I was disappointed in the sides.

Understand that I'm VERY picky about CFS. The best I ever remember having was at Massey's in Fort Worth a couple of years ago.

I don't like the heavily-breaded, deep-fried stuff, where the "crust" falls off at the first cut and leaves nothing but gray meat behind. Most of restaurant CFS falls in that category.

Country-fried steak and chicken-fried steak are similar. Some food historians believe they're regional names for the same thing: a breaded, pan-fried steak served with gravy.

The concept is thought to have been brought to Southern states by German immigrants in the mid-1800s. It is, after all, similar to wiener schnitzel. Also, it was a good way to make use of the tougher cuts of meat available in the South at the time.

Though the name "country-fried steak" goes back at least that long, it's been called "chicken-fried steak" only since around the mid-20th century. The other distinction that's been known to come up is that, where country-fried steak is flour-dusted and generally served with brown gravy and onions, chicken-fried steak is breaded with eggs and served with cream gravy.

(C)ountry-fried steak and chicken-fried steak are similar. Some food historians believe they're regional names for the same thing: a breaded, pan-fried steak served with gravy.

The concept is thought to have been brought to Southern states by German immigrants in the mid-1800s. It is, after all, similar to wiener schnitzel. Also, it was a good way to make use of the tougher cuts of meat available in the South at the time.

Though the name "country-fried steak" goes back at least that long, it's been called "chicken-fried steak" only since around the mid-20th century. The other distinction that's been known to come up is that, where country-fried steak is flour-dusted and generally served with brown gravy and onions, chicken-fried steak is breaded with eggs and served with cream gravy.

Was there some reason why you lifted this directly from a Q&A in the syndicated Food Network Kitchens column without attributing it properly?

Threadgills IS as they say the bomb. Has to be ten years since I've been there and I had the enchiladas which were wonderful. My gal I was with ordered the CFS and I wished I had after trying(and finishing)hers. Well not really 'cause then I'd had both. Threadgills was one of my favorite things about Texas. They dip it in the egg again after they flour it. Well that's what they told me and I believe them. So nice and crispy/glazey outside and really juicy inside. The milk gravy was different than any I've had. Had some pizzaz. Thank you so much for reminding me about them. I have not tried this twice dip method yet. You talked me into it you silver-tongued devil, we'll be trying it this week sometime. Now if I knew how the Saltine Cracker Pie was made!?!